The four of them tumbled into a heap, but Shen Xihe, cushioned by Hongyu, wasn't seriously injured. Both Hongyu and Biyu had bruised their arms and suffered scrapes.
"I—I—" The child who fell first, buffered by Biyu, remained unharmed. He scrambled up fastest, standing awkwardly to the side with a flustered expression.
Supported by Hongyu and Biyu, Shen Xihe rose to her feet and first asked them, "Are you both alright?"
As martial artists accustomed to far worse bumps and bruises during training, these minor injuries were negligible. They shook their heads in unison.
Only then did Shen Xihe turn to the child standing nearby. He was exceptionally thin and small, appearing around ten years old, dressed in worn but high-quality silk. His eyes held both guilt and panic.
Seeing Shen Xihe's gaze upon him, he bowed first to apologize, "My apologies for offending you, Junzhu. Changqing offers his sincerest regrets."
Shen Xihe was surprised—this frail figure before her was actually the Twelfth Prince, Xiao Changgeng. The Youning Emperor had fourteen sons by birth order, with ten surviving: the second, Zhao Wang Xiao Changmin; the third, Prince Dai Xiao Changtian; the fourth, Prince Ding Xiao Changtai; the fifth, Prince Xin Xiao Changqing; the sixth, Xiao Changyu; the Crown Prince Xiao Huayong (seventh); Jing Wang Xiao Changyan (eighth); Prince Lie Xiao Changying (ninth); the Twelfth Prince Xiao Changgeng; and the two-year-old Fourteenth Prince Xiao Changhong.
The Twelfth Prince Xiao Changgeng should be her age, yet as a boy, he stood shorter than Shen Xihe himself, his complexion sallow. After falling from the roof, not a single palace maid or eunuch had come chasing after him all this time.
She knew Xiao Changgeng's birth mother had fallen out of favor, but he was raised under Liang Zhaorong's care—how had he ended up in such a state?
"Your Highness, why were you on the roof?" Shen Xihe didn't blame him, merely glancing up at where he'd fallen and spotting a shuttlecock toy on the rooftop, its colorful feathers shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.
"I—"
Before Xiao Changgeng could explain, an impatient shout came from the neighboring courtyard beyond the wall: "Xiao Changgeng, have you fallen and knocked yourself out? If you're still breathing, climb back up and get it for me, now!"
The voice sounded familiar—it was the Fifth Princess, Yangling Princess. The emperor's four daughters were close in age: the Third Princess, Anling, was sixteen; the Fourth Princess, Changling, fifteen; the Fifth Princess, Yangling, and the Sixth Princess, Pingling, both fourteen.
Hearing the urging, Xiao Changgeng said to Shen Xihe, "If the princess wishes to punish me, Changgeng will accept it."
He clearly hoped Shen Xihe would quickly decide his punishment so he wouldn't delay retrieving the shuttlecock for the Fifth Princess, Yangling.
Before Shen Xihe could respond, Yangling Princess voiced concern, knowing Xiao Changgeng wouldn't dare stay silent if he could move: "Fourth Sister, what if Changgeng is injured from the fall?"
Yangling Princess had a loud voice, easily heard by Shen Xihe across the courtyard.
"Get injured from that height? How disgraceful for a son of the Xiao family!" The Fourth Princess, Changling, scoffed lightly. As they drew nearer, their voices grew clearer. "What are you afraid of? Even if he is injured, Father will only think him useless."
"Should Junzhu wish to hold me accountable in the future, seek out Changgeng directly." Xiao Changgeng bowed in apology and hurried off.
Was he trying to prevent the Fourth and Fifth Princesses from encountering Shen Xihe, worried she might bear their wrath?
He ran with a noticeable limp, moving as fast as he could, yet still collided with someone at the moon gate. The person he bumped into was none other than the Fourth Princess, Changling. While she had a crowd of guards to support her, no one spared a second glance at Xiao Changgeng.Shen Xihe cast a brief glance before walking away with Biyu and Hongyu. However, as they passed the moon gate, the newly assisted Changling Princess spotted them and shouted sharply, "You, stop!"
She was utterly humiliated to be seen in such a disheveled state by Shen Xihe, who hadn't even bothered to approach and pay respects.
Shen Xihe halted, turning her head slightly to meet the furious gaze of Changling Princess. "If you wish for peace, Princess, do not provoke my anger."
Changling Princess, deeply favored by His Majesty in the palace, was both arrogant and unruly. Even the princes showed her deference. No one had ever ignored and threatened her like this!
"What do you think you are? How dare you warn me?" Changling Princess, enraged, stepped forward to slap Shen Xihe.
But before her hand could reach Shen Xihe, something struck her knee. With a thud, she stumbled toward Shen Xihe, who stepped back. The princess had rushed forward too quickly, and her palace maids and eunuchs hadn't kept up, leaving no one to catch her. Her pretty face hit the ground with a smack, and Shen Xihe raised an eyebrow slightly.
Terrified, the palace maids and eunuchs helped her up, only to find her forehead bruised and her nose bleeding profusely.
"Fetch the physician, quickly fetch the physician!"
Amid the chaos, someone carried the frightened Changling Princess away. Yangling Princess, a clever one, promptly chose to follow Shen Xihe upon seeing her.
Shen Xihe gave a meaningful glance at the frail Xiao Changgeng. Her sharp eyes had clearly seen something strike Changling Princess's knee, causing her to fall heavily.
Only Biyu and Hongyu were skilled in martial arts here, but they wouldn't do such a thing. The others were all attendants brought by the two princesses.
"Your Ladyship need not worry. Changgeng will confess to His Majesty," Xiao Changgeng said without concealment. He bowed to Shen Xihe with clasped hands before turning to follow the others.
"Your Ladyship, shall we leave the palace?" Biyu tentatively asked.
"How can we leave without clarifying the matter?" Shen Xihe replied, stepping forward to follow as well.
It wasn't that she distrusted Xiao Changgeng, but rather that she didn't trust Changling Princess.
Changling Princess had been thoroughly humiliated in front of her and would surely harbor deep resentment. If Shen Xihe left, not only would Changling Princess likely blame her for the incident, but she might even frame her, regardless of the truth.
To Changling Princess, Xiao Changgeng was someone she could bully and manipulate at will. What she truly wanted was to make Shen Xihe suffer.
During the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, she had sought out Princess Pingling to inquire if Shen Yungan was betrothed, clearly expressing her intention to marry him.
Shen Xihe's suggestion that she ask the Emperor had already offended her.
Shen Xihe hadn't even had the chance to settle accounts with Changling Princess over the matter of Prince Kang.
Why had Changling Princess specifically asked about marrying Shen Yungan that day? Soon after, Prince Kang found out and sent someone disguised as Changling Princess's maid to lure her?
Shen Xihe hadn't forgotten these matters—she simply prioritized them. Since Changling Princess resided deep in the palace, she had set it aside for the time being.
She hadn't intended to settle scores, but Changling Princess seemed eager to force her hand!
"How did Changling break her nose?" the Youning Emperor demanded upon arrival, his expression dark as he listened to the physician's report.
Yangling Princess shrank back. "Father, Fourth Sister and I were kicking a shuttlecock. It flew onto the roof, and we asked Twelfth Brother to retrieve it. He came down from the courtyard and ran into Zhaoning. Fourth Sister chased after him and fell. Zhaoning saw us but ignored us and walked away."Fourth Sister felt that Zhaoning looked down on us, so she stepped forward to argue, only to end up losing face in front of Zhaoning.
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